Postman Pat meets Fireman Sam
by Bobby South
Summary: The 20th Century versions of our two heroes, not the 21st Century versions. Old School!


It was a cheerily bright sunny day in the village of Greendale. It affected the mood of everyone, except their very own Postman Pat. Pat was in the Post Office with Mrs. Goggins.

"What's up, Pat?" asked Mrs. Goggins. "It's not about young Julian in Pontypandy, is it? He's quite a strong and intelligent lad."

"No, it's not that," sighed Pat. "It looks like there's only one parcel today."

"That's right, Pat," said Mrs. Goggins, taking the only parcel on the counter. "It's for the fire station at Pontypandy. It must get there as soon as possible."

"In that case, we'd better get off," said Pat, taking the parcel. "Cheerio, Mrs. Goggins."

"Bye, Pat," said Mrs. Goggins, waving to Pat as he walked out of the door.

Outside, he bumped into Ted Glen, causing the parcel to fall down with another parcel. They were unlabelled and the same size so no one knew which parcel was which.

"Oh, sorry, Pat!" apologized Ted, picking up a parcel.

"That's okay, Ted," smiled Pat, taking the parcel and putting it in the van. "I need to get this to Wales as soon as possible."

"To Wales?" said Ted amazed, picking up the other parcel. "But that's a long way. You want me to come with you so you won't get sleepy?"

"No, thank you, Ted," said Pat, getting in the van. "I think I'll manage. Come on, Jess."

Jess the black and white cat meowed as Pat started his van.

"Bye, Pat," said Ted, waving.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Pontypandy, Trevor the Bus had picked Mr. Pringle and the children of Greendale from the train station and had dropped them off at Price's General Store.

"Thanks, Mr. Evans," cried the children.

"Thank you, Trevor," smiled Mr. Pringle. "We can manage now."

"My pleasure, but I do need to get off now." As Mr. Pringle got off the bus, the twins Sarah and James got off with him. "Think you can manage now, my sugar lumps?"

"Yes, Mr. Evans, don't worry," they announced.

"All right," smiled Trevor. "I'll see you guys later." And he drove off.

"Now, children," Mr. Pringle said, "you can go in the store and grab what you need and then these two lovely children will give a tour around Pontypandy."

"We'll do our best, Mr. Pringle," said Sarah.

"You'll really love it here," added James.

Inside, the children were busy giggling and choosing what snacks they were like. The owner, Dilys Price, had never been so busy in her whole life. By the end, she was glad when they left. "Those rascals!" she moaned. "I don't know how those teachers managed. Glad I'm not one."

"Yeah, because you'd spank them," chuckled her ginger-hair son.

"Norman Price!" yelled Dilys. "I've had a busy day. Either comfort me or leave me in peace."

"It's only eight o' clock in the morning," protested Norman.

"Just do what I say, please," groaned Dilys, as if she was having a headache.

"Okay, mam," sighed Norman, leaving the shop.

Dilys smiled when he was gone. "Mummy's little darling."

* * *

Meanwhile, Trevor, with his uniform on, reached the fire station. He saw Fireman Sam, Fireman Elvis Criddlington, Firefighter Penny Morris and Station Officer, Steele out near a clock. Trevor joined in line.

"What have I missed, Sam?" he asked.

"Only Elvis's over-greasy fired eggs and burned potato mash," whispered Sam, hoping Elvis didn't hear that.

"Now then, men and woman," Steele began, clearing his throat, "this new invention, thanks to Fireman Sam here, will be one of those that will shoot up the highest building and shoot water with ten hoses."

The firemen – Trevor Evans, Elvis Criddlington and Penny Morris – whistled impressively to Fireman Sam.

"He calls it the Hose Tower," went on Steele. "Now then, men, you know the drill. Get to work!"

Steele pressed a button and a plastic model of a skyscraper, nearly as tall as one, caught fire. Fireman Sam took the cloak off and demonstrated his latest invention near the skyscraper. It was like a pipe on a twin tent peg. Then he lifted the level up and the pipe lifted it up. It reached the top of the skyscraper. Then out came ten more hose ends and squirted lots of water.

Then Firefighter Morris had a go and succeeded. As did Auxiliary Fireman Evans. But…

Fireman Criddlington forgot to turn the water off and the building was washed down to the ground!

"CRIDDLINGTON!" yelled Steele. "You are meant to save lives, not drown them!"

"Sorry, sir," apologized Elvis. "I thought I was being so successful, I forgot to turn it off."

"Oh, that boy," sighed Trevor. "Glad he's not leading the children from Greendale to tour around Pontypandy."

"Luckily, Sarah and James are doing it," agreed Sam. "There should be no problems at all. Except for Norman Price!"

* * *

Sarah and James let the children into the park.

"Well, are you enjoying the park?" Sarah asked to some girls.

"Why, yes," answered a student called Lucy Selby.

"Yes, it's very lovely," answered Sarah Gilbertson.

"Are you enjoying your trip so far?" James asked to some boys.

"Yes, I am," answered Pat's son, Julian.

"Yes, it's awesome," answered Bill Thompson.

"Then you ain't seen nothing yet!" said a voice.

Everyone turned around and saw Norman Price on a skateboard. He and the skateboard jumped over the crowd and landed near a park bench. The children loved it and applauded.

"Yeah, if you elect _me_ to lead, I will make your visit very awesome," offered Norman.

The children thought about it and said, "Yes!"

Mr. Pringle was unsure and Sarah and James were flabbergasted.

"Well, let's go and follow them just to make sure they don't do anything stupid," suggested Mr. Pringle.

And the three followed by the exciting crowd.

* * *

Back in Greendale, Ted Glen brought his parcel to his workshop. "It's a lot heavier than when I bumped into Pat."

He put it down and opened it. "No wonder my parcel feels heavier!" yelled Ted, angry at himself. "I picked up the wrong parcel!" And he had. It was the last part that was supposed to go the Hose Tower – to Pontypandy!

He quickly ran out of the shed and was heading straight into P.C. Selby.

"Slow down there!" ordered Selby. "Where are you off too in such a hurry?"

"I made a terrible mistake with Pat, P.C. Selby," answered Ted. "I got the wrong parcel and it needs to get to Pontypandy!"

"All the way to Wales?" asked the Policeman. "Come on, I'll give you a lift."

They got in his Police Car and they set off very quickly.

* * *

Pat arrived in Pontypandy at last. He felt very tired so he pulled up to a café called Bella's Café. "Oh, I'm very tired, Jess," yawned Pat. "Let's go and have a cup of coffee."

Jess the cat agreed.

In they went. "_Ciao_, _Signore_," greeted the woman called Bella. "What can-a I get-a you?"

"A cup of coffee and two biscuits, please," said Pat, as he sat down. While he made himself comfortable, Jess the cat saw another cat. It was Bella's orange cat – Rosa! He purred happily to her, but she hissed and shrieked off.

"Jess!" shouted an angry Pat. "I'm sorry, madam."

"That-a all right," smiled Bella, putting his coffee and biscuits down. "Cats are-a usually like-a that."

* * *

Meanwhile, Naughty Norman Price had let the children to an abandoned building. It was as tall as a skyscraper, but very worn down and very old.

"This used to be the building for _Pontypandy Times_ before they moved to another building and called their business _Daily Pontypandy_," Norman told the children. "Right, up we go."

He made for it, but the children weren't very sure.

"Who wants to take a beautiful view of the town?" suggested Norman.

Now _that_ really turned the children on and they headed straight up!

"Now, be safe!" warned Mr. Pringle.

"It doesn't look safe to me," thought Sarah.

"Then let's follow them to make sure," suggested James.

And so the twins walked up the stairs, leaving Mr. Pringle to worry.

The children were not scared but excited. They forgot about the health and safety issues and were impressed that they were walking on a very dangerous site.

"This is just like that movie, _Earthquakes Rocks!_" yelled Bill.

Norman let the children to the balcony they saw a very pretty sight.

"Wow! You can't get a better view than _that_," admitted Charlie Pringle.

Finally, Sarah and James had caught up with them. "Come on!" they yelled. "You've had a good luck, but we need to clear the building.

"Oh, my gosh, look!" shouted Kathy Pottage, pointing the edge of the balcony. What was wrong with it?  
"It's collapsing!" shouted Kathy's twin brother, Tom. "Let's move!"

But it was too late. The balcony fell down! The children held for their dear lives! Luckily, the balcony stopped and it was hanging down like fish stuck on a rod.

"HELP! HELP!"

"DON'T WORRY!" called Mr. Pringle. "I'LL CALL FOR HELP!" And he ran as fast as the wind.

"Hurry, Dad!" cried Charlie to his dad.

The balcony fell down more and it shook everyone so much that they nearly fell. Luckily, they didn't. But, for poor Charlie and Norman, their glasses fell down to the bottom edge of the building. In the sky, the sun was coming out. And sun reflects from the glasses touched the carpets!

* * *

At the fire station, the alarm rang and the scroll came through the machine.

"Now who needs the fire service?" asked Station Officer Steele, tearing the message off and reading it. "Sarah, James, Norman Price and the children of Greendale are hanging from the abandoned building? On the double, men!"

Soon Firemen Sam, Elvis and Steele were all in their fire engine, Jupiter.

"All present and correct, sir," reported Sam.

"Right, let's go!" ordered Steele.

Sirens wailing and lights flashing, Jupiter took off, followed by Venus, Penny's fire tender, taking Trevor with her.

* * *

In Greendale, everyone was quiet. Except when Miss Pottage screamed her head off! She was running with fear. Alf and Dorothy Thompson bumped into her.

"What's the matter, Miss Pottage?" asked Alf.

"My children! Our children! The whole children of Greendale is in trouble in Pontypandy! On a burning building!"

"Oh, my gosh!" cried Dorothy.

Soon the word spread through the whole town!

* * *

The fire engines roared down the streets of Pontypandy and passed Bella's Café. Bella came out.

"Oh, _mamma mia_!" she cried. "Is a disaster!"

Pat came out of the door too. This made him remember his mission. "Oh, no!" he cried. "I didn't take the parcel to the station! Well," he went on, thinking, "I got to get this parcel to the fire service. Come on, Jess!"

Jess had tried everything to impress Rosa, but it wasn't working so he gave up and joined his master back to the post van. Bella waved the Greendale duo off.

* * *

Mr. Pringle had never panicked more in his life than he ever had. The children were hanging down, including his son! "I'll be sacked for sure," he sighed sadly.

Then, his luck began to turn around like the wheels on Jupiter and Venus arriving.

"Get to work, men!" ordered Steele. "Criddlington, man the hose! Evans, help him."

"Yes, sir!" And the boys got to work. Elvis pulled out the hose and ran to the correct spot for firing water. "Water on!" he called.

Trevor put the water on. "Water on!" he called back and Elvis gave the flames all he had.

Meanwhile, Fireman Sam and Penny Morris got out the Hose Tower out of Venus and put everything together.

"How is it coming along?" asked a panicking Steele.

"Very good, sir," answered Sam calmly as he could sound. "I need that little part soon. To make it successful."

He finished everything, but he couldn't operate it with the missing part. Elvis was running low on water and the fire was getting higher and much closer to the hanging children.

Then Pat arrived at the scene. Sam ran to him.

"Sorry, I got here as fast as I could!" said Pat, taking the parcel from the back of his van.

"Well, you did your best," said Sam softly, taking the parcel. He quickly opened it. "Just a minute," he said later. "This is _not_ what I ordered." He took out a giant orange balloon. "I ordered a hose pipe end."

Then Pat remembered. "It's my fault. I bumped into Ted back at home and all of the parcels must have got mixed up!"

That was it. For both Pat and Sam, they had their first failures! And because of them, the Fire Team was going to have their first failure in the history of the Pontypandy Fire Service!

Then Sam had an idea. "Thanks for the delivery!" he said to Pat and ran back to his invention. He grabbed it and went into the opposite building. He went on the fourth floor and saw that the sun was reflecting on the glasses and how it was touching the carpet. That's why Elvis was wasting water, so he had to put a stop to that.

He put the balloon when the hose should have been and he turned his machine on. It shot up to the same height off the building. The water was being poured into the balloon and it grew bigger. The balloon was bigger enough to take a whole stream. He aimed it at the glasses and – FIRE! The water balloon landed on the glasses. The rubber on the balloon covered the glasses and Elvis was having better success.

"It's coming on nicely, sir," called Elvis to Steele.

"Very good, Fireman Criddlington," praised Steele. Then he heard more crackling. He looked up and saw that the balcony had not stopped crackling. The children were sure to fall. "But what about the children?"

Everyone saw the children and the building had no room for a ladder.

Then Pat had an idea.

"Come to my van, I've just got the ticket," he announced. Sam, Penny and Trevor joined him.

The balcony was nearly done for.

"I'm sorry, everyone," said both Sarah and James. "It's my fault."

"No, it's my fault," corrected Norman. "I just wanted to make your trips awesome."  
"It's our fault," confessed the children of Greendale. "We weren't more sensible."

And the balcony had its last crack! Down the children fell! Was it the end of these very young children?

No! They fell to the ground on... a bouncy castle. It was from Pat's van that one customer asked to take to the rubbish heap in Greendale, but he knew it would be useful one day. And the firemen of Pontypandy agreed as the air for the bouncy castle was being powered by the fire engine.

"Children rescued, sir," reported Sam.

"Fire put out, sir," reported Elvis.

"Well done, men!" praised Steele. "Knock off and make up!"

Then the citizens of Greendale arrived at the scene. The parents ran to their children.

"The Lord be praised," cried Rev. Timms. "Everyone's safe as heaven."

They were pushed through by P.C. Selby and Ted Glen.

"Here's your parcel, Pat," said Ted.

"Well, better late than never," chuckled Pat, as he and Sam laughed. "But what are you all doing here?" he asked Greendale.

"We were worried about our children," answered Miss Pottage.

"Well, no need to worry about that," said Sam.

Dr. Gilbertson checked everyone and no one was hurt. Everyone was relieved and the parents hugged their children. Mr. Pringle told Station Officer Steele the whole story.

"I knew it would be Norman Price!" yelled Steele. "Where is he?"

Pat couldn't find Jess in his van. "Now, where did that cat get to?" he asked to himself.

Then everyone heard a boy's scream and a cat's scream in the alleyway. They ran and saw Norman trapped in a big metal bin and couldn't get out. Jess was on the next bin nearby.

"You have one clever cat, Pat," said Elvis.

Everyone laughed at this.

* * *

At Bella's Café, everyone was celebrating, even Bella because the only person who did all the work was Naughty Norman Price, who had new glasses on, as Charlie Pringle has some new ones too. This was Norman's punishment for letting children to a dangerous site and he needed to be taught a very good lesson. When he tried to sneak out of the building or give the customers the wrong order, Sam would sneak behind and stop him the very second before he could do.

"Nice try, Norman," chuckled Sam, "but you're not _that_ smart."

And if anyone didn't know better, they would think Norman kept falling down on purpose just to get out of it. Well, the children knew better: _They_ were knocking him down... on purpose! For a laugh! And he would have to cook all over again. Poor Norman.

Later, Steele had an announcement to make. "Ladies, Gentlemen and children, today has been one very busy day for both of our sides on this little island. And I am proud to present each of the children of Greendale the Pontypandy Fire Service Safety Medals!"

All the children got up and he each gave a medal to them. "Don't forget to tell the others kids at Greendale now," he ordered happily.

He gave Sarah and James more Pontypandy Fire Service Honorary Certificates. Then came the moment everyone was waiting for.

"Now," began Steele, "the real hero who helped to prevent today's terror from spreading. I would like to award this gold cross medal for 'Fast and Brave Actions' to Greendale's Postman Pat." Everyone gave Postman Pat a big cheer.

"Thank you, everyone, but I really don't deserve it, really," he said modestly. "I didn't get there in time and I was doing my job. I wasn't trying to be a hero. But I will take this medal to the Post Office."

Everyone gave him more applause. As he sat back down, Sam came to him.

"That was very moving, Pat," he said kindly.

"Without your invention, or your fire crew, or _you_… I wouldn't be a hero at all, so thank you," said Pat happily, shaking his hand with Sam. "Now, you've got the right part, make the most of your invention. Sam."

"I'll try," Sam smiled. "I always try."

Then all everyone's attention was pointed to the cats. "Awww!" they sighed as Jess the black and white cat and Rosa the orange cat hold paws together.

* * *

The End

_Postman Pat_ from Woodland Animations created by John Cunliffe.

_Fireman Sam_ from Bumper Films Ltd based on an idea from Dave Gingell and Dave Jones, assisted by Mike Young and characters and storylines created by Rob M. J. Lee.


End file.
